Single use lens assembly

Abstract

An optical assembly includes an output optical element having a thermally conductive and optically transmissive material and a thermal conduit in thermal communication with the output optical element and having at least one surface configured to be in thermal communication with at least one heat dissipating surface of a light delivery apparatus. The optical assembly further includes a coupling portion configured to be placed in at least two states. In a first state, the coupling portion is attached to the apparatus such that the at least one surface of the thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the at least one heat dissipating surface. In a second state, the coupling portion is detached from the apparatus after having been attached to the apparatus in the first state and in which the coupling portion is configured to prevent re-attachment of the coupling portion to the apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical assembly attachable to and detachable from a light delivery apparatus, the optical assembly comprising:
 a thermally conductive and optically transmissive element; and 
 a thermal conduit in thermal communication with the element and comprising at least one surface configured to be in thermal communication with at least one heat dissipating surface of the light delivery apparatus; 
 wherein the optical assembly is configured to be attached to the light delivery apparatus such that the at least one surface of the thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the at least one heat dissipating surface, and is configured to prevent re-attachment of the optical assembly to the light delivery apparatus upon being detached from the light delivery apparatus after having been attached to the light delivery apparatus. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the element comprises sapphire. 
     
     
       3. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conduit comprises an elongate tube having a first end portion in thermal communication with the element and a second end portion comprising the at least one surface. 
     
     
       4. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conduit comprises a hole through which light from the light delivery apparatus propagates to the element. 
     
     
       5. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conduit is electrically coupled to an electrical ground when the optical assembly is attached to the light delivery apparatus. 
     
     
       6. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an adapter configured to fit with the light delivery apparatus, wherein the adapter provides thermal conductivity between the at least one heat dissipating surface and the thermal conduit. 
     
     
       7. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion comprises an indicator configured to indicate a current state of the optical assembly. 
     
     
       8. The optical assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism that rotates in a first direction to attach the optical assembly to the light delivery apparatus and that rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction to detach the optical assembly from the light delivery apparatus, the mechanism configured to be prevented from rotation in the first direction upon the optical assembly being detached from the light delivery assembly. 
     
     
       9. An optical assembly releasably mountable to a light delivery apparatus comprising at least one heat dissipating surface, the optical assembly comprising:
 an optical element comprising a thermally conductive and optically transmissive material; 
 a thermal conduit in thermal communication with the output optical element and comprising at least one surface configured to be in thermal communication with the at least one heat dissipating surface; and 
 a coupling portion configured to releasably mount to the light delivery apparatus such that the at least one surface of the thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the at least one heat dissipating surface by rotating relative to and engaging a corresponding portion of the optical assembly without the at least one surface of the thermal conduit rotating relative to the at least one heat dissipating surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The optical assembly of  claim 9 , wherein rotation of the coupling portion engages the coupling portion to the light delivery apparatus without the output optical element rotating relative to the light delivery apparatus. 
     
     
       11. A method of using an optical assembly, the method comprising:
 providing an optical assembly comprising a thermally conductive and optically transmissive element and a thermal conduit in thermal communication with the element and comprising at least one surface configured to be in thermal communication with at least one heat dissipating surface of the light delivery apparatus; 
 attaching the optical assembly to the light delivery apparatus such that the at least one surface of the thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the at least one heat dissipating surface; and 
 detaching the optical assembly from the light delivery apparatus such that the optical assembly is prevented from re-attachment to the light delivery apparatus. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the light delivery apparatus comprises a mounting portion and the optical assembly comprises a coupling portion, wherein attaching the optical assembly to the light delivery apparatus comprises rotating the coupling portion relative to the mounting portion without the at least one surface of the thermal conduit rotating relative to the at least one heat dissipating surface. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the element comprises sapphire. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thermal conduit comprises an elongate tube having a first end portion in thermal communication with the element and a second end portion comprising the at least one surface. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thermal conduit comprises a hole through which light from the light delivery apparatus propagates to the element. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein attaching the optical assembly comprises electrically coupling the thermal conduit to an electrical ground.